Grain-classifying device



M. A. BOIX GRAIN CLASSIFYING DEVICE Filed Nov. 15, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l Mariana A. Emix May 21, 1929. M. A. BOIX GRAIN CLASSIFYING DEVICE Filed Nov. 15, 1927 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented May 21, 1929.

MARIANO A. BOIX, or MAYAGUEYZ, PORTO moo] I GRAIN-CLASSIFYING DEVICE;

Application filed November 15, 1927. Serial- No. 233,481.

This invention relates to an improved device for classifying samples of rice, or other grain. V

The primary object of this invention is the provision of a device which may efiiciently and quickly classify grain, preferably rice, in such relation that the quality thereof may be determined with accuracy and with ease the device embodying improvedmeans for reads ily separating the entire or whole rice grains from the smaller grains or from cracked grains, so that an accurate analysis of the grain may be quickly made.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an improved grain classifying device embodying a plurality of superposed drawers or compartments with individual screens therefor and means for classifying grain as to size in the various compartments.

Other objects and advantages of thisinvcntion will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and wherein similar reference characters designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved grain classifying device.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view take through the improvedgrain classifying device substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure l. I Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view through the improved grain classifying device taken substantially onthe line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the relation in which a screen is associated in the upper part of the classifying device.

Figure 5 is a side elevation oflatch details which may be used to hold the different drawers or casings of the grain classifying device in proper removable relation with respect to each other. I

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 66 of F igure 5.

Figures 7 and-8' are perspective views of a detent and dog therefor of one of the latch devices.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a top lid or closure for the device.

Figure 10 is a perspective'view of a grain regulating shield, used in connection with an initial screening operation of the device.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown only a preferred emgenerally designate the improved device PATENT OFFICE.

which may comprise a series of superposed drawers B, (1,, D and E; a screenconstruction F being placed between the compartments of the drawers B and C; a screen G placed between the compartments .of thedrawers G and D; and a screen H being placed between the .compartments of the drawers D and E. Novel latches or looks Kniay be used to connect the various drawers andmaintain them in properly superposed relation. 7

Referring to the lowermost drawer or casing E, the same may be referred to as a drawer or casing, and it includes side walls 10 and 11, having connected therewith at the ends rear wall 12 and a front wall 13., A bottom 14 is connected in approved relation to the lower margins of the walls 10, 11, 12 and 13, thus providing an open topped compartment l5. Corner legs 17 may be connected at the cornersof the casing E, if desired.

The drawer or casing D is slidably mounted in a superposed relation upon the top edges of the walls of the lowermost casing or base portion E of the classifying devices This drawer or casing D includes side walls 18 and 19,01 the same length as the side walls 10' and 11 of the base casing E, and disposed in superposed sliding relation respectively thereon. The drawer or casingD furthermore includes a rear wall 20, and afront wall 21 connected in appropriate relation to 1 the rear and forward ends respectively of the side walls of the casing D. Theupper lower margins of the side walls 18 and'l9 are appropriately provided with 'interfitting longitudinally sliding tongue and groove connections 25 and 26, of approved construction, which may connect the drawers or casings D and E for relative longitudinal sliding and against relativeverticalmovement from each other. Various types of tongue and groove connections may be provided, but

margins of the side walls 10 and 11 and the and E therebelow.

and 21 of the drawer D are grooved at 80, in a plane immediately above the tongue and groove connections 25 and 26 the said grooves .30 being peripherally about the interior of the compartment of the casing for receiving in a supported relation the margins of the screen H. This screen H is assembled permanently during the assemblying of the walls of the casing, and the screen H cannot be detached from the drawer D once the same is formed. The screen H is perforated in closely spaced relation, the perforations being preferably 1/ 16 of an inch in diameter, and varying but little from this dimension, for classifying of grain such as rice.

Referring to the drawer or casing portion C, the same includes side walls and 41, of the same length as the walls of the drawers D Rear and front walls 42 and 43 respectively are provided for the casing or drawer C,- in a suitably connected relation with the side walls 40 and 41. The" drawer G is slidably supported in a superposed relation upon the drawer or casing D, and as a means for this slidable connection, it is preferred to provide interfitting tongue and groove connections 44 and 45 between the tops of the walls 18 and 19 of the drawer D and the bottoms or marginal portions of the side walls 40 and 41 of the casing or drawer C. These tongue and groove connections 44 and 45 permit horizontal sliding relation of the drawers C and D, and prevents the pulling apart thereof vertically.

Above the tongue and groove connections 44 and 45, of the drawers C and D, the walls 40, 41, 42 and 43 of the drawer C are preferably internally grooved in a plane immediately above the tongue and groove connections 44 and 45, and in these grooves are placed the margins of the screen G. The

screen G has perforations or openings 48 therein preferably 3/32 of an inch in diameter, varying but little from this dimension for the classification of rice.

Referring to the top drawer B, the same includes side walls 50 and 51, of the same lengths as the other side walls of the drawers above described; rear and front walls 52 and 53 respectively being provided for the drawer B, in suitably connected relation with the ends of the side walls 50 and 51. The lower marginal portions of the side walls 50 and 51 are slidably connected with the upper marginal portions of the side walls 40 and 41 of the drawer C, with suitable tongue and groove connections 55 ,and 56, which permits the sliding of the drawers B and C with respect to each other, but prevent relative pulling apart thereof vertically.

The screen construction F is suitably supported by the side and end walls of the upper drawer B, in a plane immediately above the tongue and groove connections 55 and 56 above described.

A closure 60 is provided for the uppermost drawer l3 the .said closure 60 at the sides thereof having reduced flanges 61 for an interfitting relation in suitable grooves 62 provided at the inner sides of the side walls 50 and 51, so that the lid or closure 60 may be slid longitudinally of the drawer B; the lid 60 at the front thereof having an upwardly extending handle 66 for an obvious purpose.

The compartments 66, 67 and 68 for the drawers or casings D, C and B respectively are of successively increasing height, due to the fact that the sidewalls of the superposed drawers are of decreasing height from the top casing or drawer B downwardly to the lowermost compartment of the casing por tion E. This variation in the height of the compartments of the drawers is provided for the reason that grain usually does not graduate equally but successively screens out in smaller quantities, as the smaller sizes are reached.

Handles 70 and 71, 72, and 73 are respec tively provided on the front walls of the drawers B, C, D, and E.

The latchinechanisms K are placed on the side walls at the sliding junctures of the drawers or casings B, G, D and E, preferably only to one side thereof, these latch mechanisms preferably including a metal plate 75 secured at 76 to the side wall of a drawer or casing at the upper portion thereof, the said metal plate including a sloping top edge 77 inclining downwardly towards the front of the drawers; the uppermost edge portions 78 of said plate 7 5 lying flush with the exposed sliding juncture line of the drawers with i which the particular latch K is associated, as is illustrated in Figure 5 of the drawings. 1nwardly from the upper edge this plate is provided with a notch or recess 77 adapted to receive the lug end 7 8 of the detent 79. As a further part of the latch mechanism K, a casing 80 is provided, having a detachable outer wall 81, the same together with the body of the casing being secured by screws or like members 82 to a side wall of the drawer immediately above the drawer on which the latch plate 7 5 is applied. In the compartment 83 of this casing 80 is pivoted at 84 the detent 79, between the ends thereof. The detent 7 9 from the pivot location 84 includes handle 87 which extends through an opening 88 at the front of the detent casing 80. On the opposite side of the pivot location 84, the detent 79 is offset and provided with the downwardly facing lug 7 8. A V-shaped spring 90 is supported at 91 in the compartment of the detent casing operating against a top wall of the de tent casing 80, and at the upper side of the detent 79 above the lug 78, to normally force the latter through the lower opening 95 in he lower wall of the detent casing 80, and into engagement with the top edge of the latch plate 75;

Under-normal conditions thelatch detent lug 7 8is seated snugly in the latch recess77,

78 out of therecess 77, and it is of course obvious that the drawers may thenbe slid longitudinally relative to each other. When closinga drawer the detent lug 78 thereof slides over the sloping cam edge 77 until the lug 7 8' slips into its recess 77 of the latch plate 75, and thus holds the drawers in a latched position until manually released. 7

Referring to the screen construction F, the same includes a screen body 90, having side and end walls 91 upturned therefrom and outwardly flanged in right angled relation, at 92, the flange 92 having the material doubled under upon itself; The side and end walls of the upper cabinet or drawer are 4 peripherally grooved on their inner surfaces above the tongue and groove connections with the drawer C, for receiving the flanges 92, to support the screen F in the grooves 93. The screen body is perforated in a novel'relation, having end perforated areas 95 and 96, and an" intermediate area 97 provided with openings 98 which are all of the same size on said screen area, preferably the perforations being 3/32 of an inch in diameter. Between the intermediate area 97 and the perforated areas 95 and 96, there'are special perforated areas 99 and 100, which have perforations 101 therein of a larger diameter than the perforations 98, and preferably.7/64ths of an inch in diameter each, in case the classification device is used for grading rice. The areas 99 and are of the same size, and together constituto more than two-fifths of the total area of the screen 90.

To insure that the whole grain of large size, which is the most desirable, will be main-, tained in the upper compartment 68 of the drawer B and will not pass downwardly thru the perforations 1.01 of the areas99 and 100,

' it is preferred to provide special guard plates and 111, of an imperforate nature, disposed in spaced relation over the areas 99 and 100. These guard plates 110 and 111 at the ends thereof are fianged'at 115 about the sup porting flanges 92 of the screen 90, as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, and this supports the said guard plates 110 and 111 spaced about 1/8 of an inch from the top surface of the screen area 99 or 100 therebelow. This spacing is illustrated in Figures 2 and 4 of the drawings, and the space designated by numeral is of such type as to permit the grain to roll with its length horizontally thereinto onto the perforated areas 99 and 100, so that if any whole grain of the desired and best size rolls into the spaces 120, the

same cannot stand on end topass through the perforations 101,'yet the large perforations 101 will allow any large sized crackedv grain topass therethrough,or permit smaller grains to pass therethrough than the most desirable which itis thought best to-retain in the compartment 68 of the drawer B;. To properly retain the guard plates 110 and 111 in place, centrally disposed securing rivets are provided, attached thereto and to the screen 90, as illustrated in the drawings. It is to be noted that the grain rolls between the guard plates and the screen 90 betwen the front and rear edges of said guard plates and the screen, since no flanges are provided on the plates at the margins thereof extending cross-wise of p the compartment 68.

In the grain classifying operation the grain is placed into the upper compartment 68 .by opening the said compartment through sliding of the lid 60. When the operation is to start, the lid 60 is closed, and the cabinet with the drawers properly locked together by the latch mechanisms K is shifted from side to side, and of course the grain shifting crosswise over the screens F, G and H will classify in the various compartments 12, 66, 67, and 28; the best or whole grain remaining in the compartment 68'; the next best size in the compartment 67 and succeeding smaller, and may be undesirable sizes in the compartments 66 and 12. The screens F, G and H may of course have perforations therein of various sizes, depending upon the degree of classification and the character of grain being classifled.

' Inspection of the grains in the various compartments of the drawers is of course ob tained by opening the latches K and sliding the drawers relative to each other, which operation will be obvious from the above description and the illustrations thereof.

From the foregoing it is apparentthat a grain classifying device has been provided, which may be efiiciently and expeditiously used to check the quality of grain for reasons well known in this art.

Various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be made to the form of invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the in-V vention or the scope of the claims.

I claim: v

1. In grain classifying apparatus a plurality of drawers each having compartments therein open to each other, screens separating the compartments of the drawers from each other, said screens having different sized openings therein, a cover for the topmost drawer to admit an initial body of grain thereto, said screens being graded as to size of opening from the topmost screen where the openings of the screens are largest to the lowermost screen where the size of the openings of said screens are smallest, and latch means to normally hold said drawers in a superposed compartment communicating relation through the perforations of said screens.

2. In a grain classifying device the combination of a lower drawer having a bottom and upstanding side walls providing a compartment therein, a second drawer slidably mounted above the compartment of the first mentioned drawer and separated therefrom by means of a perforated seen, a third drawer slidably mounted in superposed relation upon the top of the second. mentioned drawer having a compartment separated from the compartment of the second mentioned drawer only by a perforated screen having openings therein larger than the openings of the first mentioned screen, a fourth drawer slidably mounted on top of the third mentioned drawer having a compartment separated from the compartment of the third mentioned drawer only by means of a perforated screen having openings and means regulating said openings to permit whole grain to remain in the compartn'ient of the last mentioned drawer and permit smaller and less desirable grain to fall to the compartment of the third drawer.

3. In a grain classifying device the combination of a lower drawer having a bottom and upstanding side walls providing a compartment therein, a second drawer slidably mounted upon the compartment of the first mentioned drawer and being separated there from by means of a perforated screen, a third drawer slidably mounted in superposed re lation upon the top of the second mentioned drawer having a compartment separated from the compartment of the second mentioned drawer only by a perforated screen having openings therein larger than the openings of the first mentioned screen, a fourth drawer slidably mounted on top of the third mentioned drawer having a. compartment separated from the compartment of the third mentioned drawer only by means of a perforated screen having openings and means regulating said openings to permit whole grain to remain in the compartment of the last mentioned drawer and permit smaller and less desirable grain to fall to the compartment of the third drawer, and a movable lid supported at the top of the last mentioned drawer.

i. In a grain classifying device the combination of. a lower drawer having a bottom and upstanding side walls providing a compartment therein, a second drawer slidably mounted above the comparti'l'ient of the first mentioned drawer and separated therefrom by means of a perforated screen, a third drawer slidably mounted in superposed-rela tion upon the top of the second mentioned drawer having a compartment separated from the compartment of the second 1nentioned drawer only by a perforated screen having openings therein larger than the open ings of the first mentioned screen, a fourth drawer slidably mounted on top of the third mentioned drawer having a compartment separated from the compartment of the third mentioned drawer only by means of a perforated screen having openings and means regulating said openings to permit whole grain to remain in the compartment of the last mentioned drawer and permit smaller and less desirable grain to fall to the compartment of the third drawer, and a movable lid supported at the top of the last mentioned drawer, said drawers being of successively increasing height from the lowermost drawer compartment to the uppermost drawer compartment.

5. Ina grain classifying device the comhination of a lower drawer having a bottom and upstanding side walls providing a compartn'ient therein, a second drawer slidably mounted abovethe compartment of the first mentioned drawer and separated therefrom by means of a perforated screen, a third drawer slidably mounted in superposed relation upon the top of the second mentioned drawer having a compartment separated from the compartment of the second mentioned drawer only by a perforated screen having openings thereinlarger than the openings of the first mentioned screen, a fourth drawer slidably mounted on top of the third mentioned drawer having a compartment sep arated from the compartment of the third mentioned drawer only by means of a perforated screen having openings and means regulating said openings to permit whole grain to remain in the compartment of the last mentioned drawer and permit smaller and less desirable grain to fall through the compartment of the third drawer, a movable lid supported at the top of the last mentioned drawer, said drawers being of successively increasing height from the lowermost drawer compartment to the uppermost drawer compartment, and releasable latch means for holding said drawers against relative sliding.

6. In a grain classifying device acasing having a compartment therein and a screen in the compartment having a plurality of separated area-s thereon with perforations be ing of a predetermined small size, and intermediate areas of perforations of a predetermined larger size, and guard plates spaced over the perforated areas with the perforations of larger size.

MARIANO A. BOIX. 

